Street plate for track type tractors



Jwme 23, R936. T. G. SCHMEISER STREET PLATE FOR TRACK TYPE TRACTORS Filed Dec. 9, 1955 2 Z /QQZ INVENTOR BY Q 52 ATTORNEY Patented June 23, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STREET PLATE FOR TRACK TYPE TRACTORS 4 Claims.

This invention relates to street plates such as are used on tractors of the endless track type, to prevent the cleats of the track shoes from cutting into the road surface when the tractors are traveling over the same.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a plate for the purpose which has great strength without excessive weight, which is easily applied and which is reversible in position; one which has a large flat non-yielding ground contacting area, and one whose holding bolts, while adequately protected against damage, are readily accessible.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as 20 will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure l is a side outline of a pair of adjacent track shoes showing my improved street plates thereon, one plate being in section.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of a plate detached.

Figure 3 is a side view of a plate partly in section showing the same as shimmed up relative to the shoe.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the plates provided with cleat covering attachmerits.

Referring now to the numerals of reference on the drawing and particularly, at present, to Figures 1 to 3, the plate is a cast member and may be considered as comprising a substantially rectangular head I, the outer surface of which is fiat and forms the ground engaging surface of the plate. The length of the head is approximately that of the cleat 2 of the track shoe 3, while its width is approximately equal to one-half the distance between adjacent cleats.

Depending from the head at its ends and integral with the same are end walls 4, whose opposed side edges are concavely curved as at 5, or sloping as the case may be so as to fit closely against one side or the other of the cleat 2 as shown in Figure 1. The height of the end walls is greater than that of the cleat, as is desired.

Extending between the end walls is a centrally disposed rib 6, thus making the plate substantially T shaped in cross section intermediate its ends. The outer edge of the rib is on the same level as the shoe engaging surface of the end walls, so that said rib, as well as the end walls, rest on the shoe, thus providing a continuous support for the plate. However, the rib imparts such strength to the plate that the latter may be 5 used with shims 1 under the end walls, as shown in Figure 3, without loss of eificiency and without any tendency of the plate to sag in the middle. This feature makes the plate usable, without requiring a special model, for tractors having cleats 10 higher than the plate.

The opposed faces of the rib and the underface of the head merge into each other with relatively large curves, as shown at 8, so as to eliminate the provision of sharp corners which would form 15 dirt collecting pockets, as well as strengthening the plate by avoiding the possibility of fractures of the rib at the base with the strains placed in the metal incident to the cooling of the casting.

The hollow form of the plate between its ends 2 also leaves ample room for the heads 9 of the bolts which are used to connect the shoes to the track links. Also, the rib being in the center of the plate and both side faces of the end walls being sloped or curved symmetrically to engage 25 the cleat, the plate may be reversed in position relative to the cleat. This makes the plate very easy to apply and enables the same to be reversed in position if undue wear hasoccured on its leading side. Formed in the end walls in centralized relation are outwardly facing recesses or sockets ID, of substantially rectangular form. These sockets extend from the ground engaging face of the head toward the inner or shoe engaging face of 5 the plate and are provided in the bottom with bolt slots I! extending to said face. The sockets are of sufiicient width to receive and protect the heads of the securing bolts l2, while holding such heads against rotation; the bolts projecting of 40 course through the slots I0 and through the usual holes drilled in the shoe to receive such bolts. If the shims l are used they are placed under the end walls and are so drilled to receive the bolts as shown in Figure 3.

The plate shown in Figure 4 is constructed the same as above, except that nut-seat recesses I3 are formed in the under-surface of the head Ia on that side of the rib 6a opposite the cleat 2, and bolt holes are drilled through the head centrally of the seat areas. Ground engaging plates I 4 covers the outer faces of the heads and extend over the adjacent cleats, being bent inwardly or toward the shoes 3 just beyond the cleats, as indicated at I5. The plates M are held in position on the corresponding heads by bolts iii of the plow type, whose heads are countersunk in said plates, as shown; the bolts projecting through the heads la to receive the nuts I! disposed in the seat recesses. The depth of the countersunk heads is such that the plates can wear considerably before said heads let go. Since the plates M are in smooth contact with the heads la through substantially their entire area, there is no tendency for said plates to be warped or deflected from the desired fiat form.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A street plate for a tractor track shoe, said shoe comprising a substantially fiat member and a cleat projecting outwardly therefrom, said street plate comprising a body to rest on said track member and extend transversely thereof in abutting relation to the cleat on one side, the depth of the body being such that the outer ground engaging face thereof is outwardly of the cleat; said end portions of the body being relatively thick and substantially rectangular in cross section and the body intermediate said end portions being T shaped in cross section, and bolts mounted in the end portions of the body to secure the same on the track shoe member.

2. A street plate for a tractor track shoe, said shoe comprising a substantially fiat member and a cleat projecting outwardly therefrom; said street plate comprising a body having a substantially rectangular head to extend transversely of the shoe, one face of the head forming a ground engaging surface, relatively thick end portions formed on and projecting from the opposite face of the head to rest on the shoe member, the depth of the end portions being suiiicient to cause the ground engaging surface of the head to lie outwardly of the shoe cleat, one side edge of the head and the adjacent side of the end portions being adapted to abut against one side of the cleat, and means to secure the end portions to the shoe member; the plate between the end portions being hollowed out along the side nearest the cleat from under the head to the shoe member; the latter having link-securing bolts whose heads project from the shoe member adjacent said one side of the cleat.

3. A street plate for a tractor track shoe, said shoe comprising a substantially fiat member and a cleat projecting outwardly therefrom; said street plate comprising a body having a substantially rectangular head to extend transversely of the shoe, one face of the head forming a ground engaging surface, relatively thick end portions formed on and projecting from the opposite face of the head to rest on the shoe member, the depth of the end portions being sufiicient to cause the ground engaging surface of the head to lie outwardly of the shoe cleat, one side edge of the head and the adjacent side of the end portions being adapted to abut against one side of the cleat, means to secure the end portions to the shoe member, and a centrally disposed rib formed with the body and extending between the end portions from under the head to a termination on a level with the shoe-member engaging faces of the end portions.

4. A street plate for a tractor track shoe, said shoe comprising a substantially fiat member and i a cleat projecting outwardly therefrom; said street plate comprising a body having a substantially rectangular head to extend transversely of the shoe, one face of the head forming a ground engaging surface, relatively thick end portions formed on and projecting from the opposite face of the head to rest on the shoe member, the depth of the end portions being sufiicient to cause the ground engaging surface of the head to lie outwardly of the shoe cleat, one side edge of the engaging faces of said end portions as Well as to the outer end faces thereof, the metal of said 'end portions between the bottom of the recesses and the shoe-member engaging surface of said end portions being drilled to receive bolts for securing the street plate on the shoe.

THEODORE G. SCHMEISER. 

